A star-studded field of 10 has been entered for the Temple Gwathmey Handicap (Gr. 3), the centerpiece of an eagerly awaited Middleburg Spring Races on Saturday, June 13, when American Steeplechasing emerges from the coast-to-coast lockdown caused by the new coronavirus.
National Steeplechase Association horsemen responded enthusiastically to the program of 11 races with more than 200 entries, an NSA record and a tribute to the owners and trainers who kept their horses in training through the spring.
Eight of the races have long also-eligible lists of horses who will draw into the race in case of scratches. In all, the Middleburg Spring races offer $200,000 in purse money.
First post time will be 12:30 p.m. for the centennial edition of the Middleburg Spring Races at Glenwood Park. No spectators will be admitted to the Virginia race course, and the races will be broadcast on the NSA’s website.
The $50,000 Temple Gwathmey at 2½ miles over National Fences attracted a field that includes two Eclipse Award winners, another Grade 1 winner, and two novice champions.
Bruton Street-US, the reigning champion owner, will play a strong hand with three prospective starters. Topping the Bruton group is 2017 Eclipse winner Scorpiancer, who won the Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Gr. 1) for a second time last year and most recently finished second in the Grand National (Gr. 1) at Far Hills in October.